News

Just as your blogger leaves on holiday, a device explodes in his home town! This Guardian report seems to offer most details. lots of rumours went round yesterday and turned out to be false. More details will follow today.

High profile story last year. Nobody’s fault, of course. Does sound like it has all the classic ingredients of a cock-up. Public sector really does need to deal with illness and the question of who picks up the ill person’s work while they are ill in a much more systematic way. So many stories of people returning to their desks to find that it’s all been left for them to deal with on their return.

The sub-editor needs to be reminded that these are all allegations. A story to watch and see how it develops. More likely to appear in the News of the World that the broadsheets, but may give some important insights into how these groups all knit together.

This is in total contrast with the last report from Europol. Could it be an Independent spin? Better go find out. Apparently the methodology is changing to include “extremism” Previous posting was a summary by the EU Observer and was of the 2007 report. This is the 2008 Report, I think. Better go do some reading.

BBC story originating from European Commission. FAQs on the subject at: http://tinyurl.com/4ewwca Despite what the BBC piece says, the amount of goods seized actually decreased in 2007 [mostly due to falls in numbers of cigarettes and DVDs seized]. 34% of seizures were cigarettes followed by 22% of clothing.

Both subjects seem to have been lumped together under the general heading of data protection. Google Street View has, allegedly, been put together with an eye to US legislation, without someone realising that it has to be compatible with other jurisdictions too. Similarly, DNA sharing procedures have been put together without thought for privacy safeguards. Consequences of both likely to be lots of money for lawyers.

Sub-text seems to be reluctance to set up an office of European Public Prosecutor. Powers for Eurojust, the institution that enables judicial, investigative and prosecutorial cooperation, are under discussion. European Commission wants one set of things, some member states a different set. Usual controversies. They have to ratify the Lisbon Treaty first, anyway.